Dubuque is an ideal place for camping adventures of all kinds. Dubuque is a great camping destination for everyone. There are tons of nearby hikes, adventurous activities, and sights to see. Discover great camping spots near Dubuque, reviewed by campers like you.
$15 - $35 / night
"A very nice park located close to the Iowa border. Close to Effigy Mounds & Pikes Peak! It has great trails & campsites & lots of geocaching! Come one New Years for the annual carp drop :)"
"Camp sites are far enough away from neighbors that there is some privacy. Need a state park sticker to access. Illinois Minnesota and Iowa are all short drives away."
"Tons of forest with cross country, equestrian, and hiking trails. One of the best lakes in Wisconsin for fishing along with a nice beach, and pet area. There is a free gun range."
"It has a large lake with three boat launches, a main one with a motor ramp, a canoe launch near the marshy end, and a fishing pier."
$12 - $200 / night
"There are miles of trails. Is hiking your thing? What about equestrian? Maybe mountain bike trails? You can even take the family for a nice leisurely walk on the easier trails."
"Backbone State Park is unlike any other place in Iowa, having geological features uncommon in Iowa.
There are two campgrounds."
"Two good lakes for kayaking/canoeing/fishing/swimming. Lots of good hiking trails and they are working on a big improvement to the equestrian campground."
"The sites on the "inside" of the loop are rather close to one another.
21 has a nice view of the lake, and you can walk back to the fence to look over the bluff 24 is quite private and very large 26,"
"Lakes, trails, kayaking, boating, paddle boarding, fishing. Hidden gem of Wisconsin. The campsites are pretty private, nestled in trees. Some shaded, some have sun and shade."
"Site 271 was just enough of a walk to feel remote but not so far that I couldn't carry all my stuff."
$10 - $30 / night
"There are some trails that will take you around some of the hills through open fields if you are interested in walking around the campground. This is a nice place to camp."
"Campsites a little close to others and sound traveled. Trails were way nice and the scenery was beautiful-lots of deer!"
"Nice quiet little primitive campground next to the Wapsipinicon River. Unfortunately, when I was there the last weekend of May, the gnats were bad, and the mosquitoes were just starting to gear up."
$12 - $25 / night
"Campsites right next to the pond and good tree cover made the experience fun anyway. Good bass and panfish fishing with quiet campgrounds that aren’t right next to each other."
LegendThe campsites here are deep with lots of greenery. However we chose this site thinking that it was on the end. The loops curl around so there were campers around us. On the other side was a playground that had children enjoying it all day. While this is great for some, our reactive dog was quite distracted.
Upon arriving at the check in, there is still a couple miles to wind around until the campground, longer to get to twin lakes campground. The road is hilly too. It’s not a problem in our vehicle but it would be tiring on a bicycle. There are showers in the center of our loop. It could be expanded a bit - we had short lines for the restrooms. Water , garbage and recycling are available as well as a dump station.
It was raining when we arrived but we drove around to see the park. We hiked the short distance to Stephen’s Falls and was not impressed. Maybe they need more rain this year but all we saw was a splatter.
We saw folks who kept their kayaks and canoes locked up by the lake. The beach looked nice too. The other end of the park has an equestrian campground. We did see some horses riding the trail around the park.
The vibe here wasn’t for us. Various sites had music playing loud enough for us to hear. Trails from camp would be great. We ended up walking along the narrow road.
GuideA very nice park located close to the Iowa border. Close to Effigy Mounds & Pikes Peak! It has great trails & campsites & lots of geocaching! Come one New Years for the annual carp drop :)
ScoutTwo good lakes for kayaking/canoeing/fishing/swimming. Lots of good hiking trails and they are working on a big improvement to the equestrian campground. Lots of activities in the area and close to shopping in the town of Dodgeville.
LegendI stayed at this campground when I was a kid and only recently revisited it. The state park has two very large lakes with nice pan fishing and modest but well-groomed (daily?) swimming beaches. The lakes are a definite drive from the campgrounds, however, which makes it hard for "the kids" to simply amble down for a swim. This is important, in Sept. 2020 (COVID-19 times) 1/3 of the parking lot was closed off. Not sure why, but I speculate this is to regulate the number of beach dwellers and swimmers. Regardless, it's a very large and lovely park. Here's my review of the campsites.
I am a car camper with no interest in (E) electric sites, so I did not pay attention nor note good ones. I prefer the silence and relative darkness that non-E sites provide.
Campsite - Cox Hollow
45/47 would be a nice couple of sites for a family/friends (wouldn't want this if you only needed one of them!)
The sites on the "inside" of the loop are rather close to one another.
21 has a nice view of the lake, and you can walk back to the fence to look over the bluff 24 is quite private and very large 26, 27 and 29 are all large, near the bluff
34 is interesting, it's divided into three "terraces" Kind of fun, like a campsite divided into rooms
44 right next to the water, BIG site, right near the bathroom and playground. This would be great if you have kids.
The second campground is Twin Valley - though it is NO WHERE NEAR the Twin Valley lake. Lots of driving to get to the lake from here.
221 is large with nice surrounding trees
285 is really big
This campground has walk in sites - these are sites with car parking on the road and you have to walk a minute or two to get to the site. Downside? Carrying all your gear and firewood. Upside? You can genuinely pretend that you've got the place to yourself, can't see a tent or an RV from any of these sites.
262 is 40 steps in, right on the edge of the valley with it's own personal bluff.
263 is a longer walk of 75 steps, a little less shaded than others, but PRIVATE
264 is about 45 steps off the parking lot, right against the bluff edge.
269 is 50 steps in, but it's just off the path, not as nice as others
270 is a long 120 steps walking past 269, this is the site for you if you're looking for seclusion
271 is 110 steps in, flat, really secluded
LegendThis nice SP is located on the Iowa border. It was a quiet nice little get away with several trails that challenge anyone in your group. Campground was clean and well maintained.
GuideBackbone is a very diverse area. There are miles of trails. Is hiking your thing? What about equestrian? Maybe mountain bike trails? You can even take the family for a nice leisurely walk on the easier trails. Exploring is fun at this park because there is so much to see. The Trout stream was busy the weekend we were there. You might even want to play a round of Gulf. We have solar on our trailer so we stayed in the Six Pines campground and it was beautiful. We listened to the night animals for hours.
TravelerWe spend quite a bit of time here. We hunt here and camp here year round. Tons of forest with cross country, equestrian, and hiking trails. One of the best lakes in Wisconsin for fishing along with a nice beach, and pet area. There is a free gun range. Hunt anything from pheasent to deer. There is also a nice bar and grill just down the street. Along with dairy bar as part of the park. Showers and bathrooms are always clean.
RangerGreat state park for a family camping vacation, tons of stuff to do. Lakes, trails, kayaking, boating, paddle boarding, fishing. Hidden gem of Wisconsin. The campsites are pretty private, nestled in trees. Some shaded, some have sun and shade. They even have horse sites, so you can bring your horse, and stroll through the park horseback riding. Vault toilets, and regular toilets with ok showers. Water faucets scattered around for easy water access. Twin Valley has tent sites and RV/electric sites.
ScoutWe love camping at Governor Dodge state park. The campsites are big and fairly private some areas are better for groups of families camping together with play grounds and nice clean bathrooms with showers. If you camp at Twin Valley You will have to drive to the beach. We like the Cox Hollow beach the best ..so if you want to walk to beach camp there. There are lots of beautiful hiking trails including one that passes an old farm homestead complete with the old spring house and a waterfall. You can also rent horses and rid them in the park…the rental place is just outside the park. They have groomed cross country trails and mountain biking trails as well. You won’t be disappointed if you visit this park!
V
Horse camping in Iowa offers a unique opportunity to explore the great outdoors while enjoying the company of your equine friends. With several well-reviewed spots, you can find the perfect place to set up camp and ride the trails.
Frequently Asked Questions
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Dubuque, IA is Wyalusing State Park Campground with a 4.6-star rating from 57 reviews.
TheDyrt.com has all 11 equestrian camping locations near Dubuque, IA, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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